With just days left until Selection Sunday 2024, the college basketball conference tournaments are now in full swing. The conference tournament champions secure automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. Seven more teams have locked themselves into the Big Dance over the past few days. Let’s take a look at who will be playing for the top prize in college basketball.

NCAA Tournament – Colonial Athletic Association: Charleston vs. Stony Brook

Charleston earned its way back to the Big Dance with an overtime win over Stony Brook. Reyne Smith scored eight of the team’s nine overtime points leading them to the 82-79 victory. Charleston entered the tournament as the top-seed while Stony Brook pulled off some upsets to make the final as the seven-seed. It’s Charleston’s second straight March Madness appearance.

NCAA Tournament – Horizon League: Milwaukee vs. Oakland

The Oakland Golden Grizzlies return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2011 after winning the Horizon League conference tournament. Trey Townsend scored a career high 38 points for Oakland in the 83-76 win over Milwaukee. This will be Oakland’s fourth NCAA tournament appearance but their first since moving from the Summit League to the Horizon League.

NCAA Tournament – Northeast Conference: Wagner vs. Merrimack

The Northeast Conference experienced one of the few surprise runs to March Madness that comes from the conference tournaments. Sixth seeded Wagner played lock down defense to upset top-seeded Merrimack to secure the conference’s automatic big. Wagner only allowed four points over the final eight minutes of the game. The impressive tournament run comes after the Seahawks lost four of their final five games of the regular season. Wagner makes the Big Dance for the first time since 2003.

NCAA Tournament – Southern Conference: East Tennessee St. vs. Samford

Samford ended a 24-year March Madness drought as the team won the Southern Conference tournament for the first time in school history. Achor Achor and Jermaine Marshall scored 25 and 23 points, respectively, to give the top-seeded Bulldogs the automatic big. It’s Samford’s first trip to the Big Dance since 2000 and just the third in school history.

NCAA Tournament – Summit League: Denver vs. South Dakota St.

South Dakota St. cruised to the Summit League conference title. The top-seeded Jackrabbits jumped out to a 22-5 early lead against seventh-seeded Denver and never looked back. Luke Appel and Zeke Mayo each scored 16 points for South Dakota St. The Jackrabbits make the Big Dance for the seventh time in school history.

NCAA Tournament – Sun Belt Conference: Arkansas St. vs. James Madison

A school named after one of the Founding Fathers is returning to the NCAA tournament. James Madison crushed Arkansas St. 91-71 to win the Sun Belt Conference tournament. It’s the first Sun Belt title for the Dukes and the school’s first conference title since winning the Colonial in 2013. Xavier Brown recorded his first career double double to lead James Madison back to the Big Dance. The Dukes have had a spectacular season winning 31 of 34 games, so far.

NCAA Tournament – West Coast Conference: Gonzaga vs. St. Mary’s

A rarity in the West Coast Conference as Gonzaga did not clinch the conference’s automatic bid. Aidan Mahaney scored 23 points to lead St. Mary’s to the 69-60 win. It’s the first time in five years St. Mary’s has won the West Coast Conference tournament. Both St. Mary’s and Gonzaga entered the tournament ranked as the top two seeds, and both will be in the Big Dance.

Wednesday Clinching Scenarios

Three more teams will punch their tickets to the Big Dance tonight. In the Big Sky Conference tournament, it’s the battle for supremacy in the state of Montana as the University of Montana and Montana St. square off at 11:30 PM Eastern on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The Patriot League wraps up Wednesday as Lehigh and Colgate square off in the conference tournament final. Lehigh must win to make the NCAA tournament. That game can be seen at 7 PM Eastern on CBSSN. The Southland Conference tournament wraps up with Nicholls facing McNeese. That game tips off at 5 PM Eastern on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

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